Moist Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Layered Birthday Cake with an Update

It has been an awfully long time since my last post.  I have several drafts that I never finished and never posted. I read them, and think, totally outdated, trash. So I will try yet again. I have high hopes of posting this though.

First off, an update on our adoption process.....drum roll please.....I am exactly at the same place now, that I was several months ago. I am waiting for the US to simply give me a renewed current green card. My mother told me it took her 2 weeks to get one of my brothers lost cards replaced...great.....I am looking at month 8, and still no paperwork moving. I think what makes it difficult, is seeing other families who are at that finish stage. I have met, 2 couples, through our church, whom are doing international adoptions. One is just finishing their dossier and the other couple is watching God topple many great obstacles in Uganda (it should have been easier than it has been). It makes me wonder what our journey is going to be like. That point when we get the green light to go to Romania. It makes me long

I did want to mention that my mother is completely horrified that I would want to adopt from our home country. Why? Well, because most likely I will be adopting a gypsy child/children. Gypsy and Romanian are not the same thing. In fact gypsies are spread all over Europe. They are a very hated people group. As a group of people they tend to place value on material things, and running scams to rip people off. Not many people look favorably on them. In fact, during the Holocaust many of them were slaughtered. I am perfectly fine accepting the child/children that God has for us. So both of us are praying. I warned her that I am kind of a favorite of His. It will make a tremendous testimony for her, I am grateful to be able to be a part. She can see that God is a God who loves orphans (which is what we are) and He can open closed doors when it comes to giving them a home.

I am not going to write about the horrendous weather we have had this May. But I don't believe I'm exaggerating when I say, this has been the most disappointing month of weather, in my entire life. The longing for a place were I can grow food all year round, grows.

Bella and Kenai

Thursday was my little girls' birthday. She turned 8, just like that....in a day. She is such an incredible little girl that I get raise! I have these moments when I stare at her, grateful that I get to watch her grow.  She has blue eyes. Here's some facts about the significance of that: I always wanted blue eyes, and since I couldn't have them, I picked friends who did.  Eventually I married my husband, for the same reason (and a few others, lol). I had a dream about having a little girl with blue eyes, by the time I had Bella, I had given up on that dream (it had been 9 years). Her blue eyes remind me of God's utter faithfulness, they really do.  Bella wants to be an artist when she grows up, it makes me giggle, because it's so different than me. She's truly a farm girl at heart, she has no fear of animals, any of them. She had a choice between a guinea pig, or her own American girl doll. She chose the pet, and since they get awfully lonely, we will have 2 soon. I love her very much


Today Isaac turned 9. That is almost a decade! The days

Isaac and the little chicks

have been slow, but the years have gone sooo fast! I am going to be homeschooling Isaac next year, and I am actually very excited to see how he learns and learn how to teach. I wish I had not waited so long, and had done this earlier, but God certainly had a lot to change in my heart before I was willing. Isaac is the sweetest child to parent, it is hard to believe he was such a challenge as a toddler. That's autism, for you. He has his moments, like with food. But hands down, he's the least challenging to parent. He wants to please, he loves so deeply and with such clear, pure, love. This year for mother's day, he came in our bed in the morning, and proudly brought to me something he'd made at school. He read it to me. I love my mom because she takes good care of me. My mom is a great cook. My mom likes to knit. My mom always takes good care of my family. I couldn't help but weep. Here's my little boy (who isn't so little, anymore) validating all the things I do, day in and day out, that I mostly feel are taken for granted. He knows me....and he loves me. Pretty profound for a 9 year old!

So today we celebrated both their birthdays, inside. My house was full of kids. I think they totally outnumbered the adults. But we all kept our head above waters. No drowning here...lol. A great group of people blessed my kids, and therefor blessed us. Our favorite present was a gift to go on a date night and see a movie! How thoughtful of our friends Dan and Sarah! They are some our favorite people....

But I made a cake. I really like a moist layered cake with frosting. Maybe it's the Romanian in me (they make very elaborate desserts called prăjitură). This cake went first (I had made a raw vanilla/raspberry and a pure chocolate cheesecake). I wanted more. I still want more. I almost ate it all before I could take a picture! oops. 

Moist Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

1/3c buckwheat flour
1/3c quinoa flour
1/3c garbanzo/fava
1/4c brown rice
1/4 c of chia seeds ground 
1/2c oil (coconut or olive oil)
1/4c of coconut yogurt (or applesauce)
1/2c coconut crystals
pinch of salt
1t of baking soda
1t of baking powder
3/4c coconut milk add 1T of apple cider vinegar

Frosting! (very sugary, sorry)

1/2c of vegetable shortening
1/2c of soy free earth balance
4 1/2c of organic powdered sugar
1T of vanilla extract
4T of coconut milk (use as needed
-mix the first 2 ingredients in a mixer, till fluffy, add sugar 1 cup at a time, adding 1 T at a time.  350 for 12-15 minutes (they are very thin in the round tins I use)

I bake the cake in 3 round non stick pans that I have to spray with olive oil (go figure) then add the frosting as I go.   Enjoy!




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